Chang'e-6 unveiled a mysterious payload, adding a new highlight to the exploration mission on the far side of the moon!
Do you know? The photo of the Chang'e-6 "combination" released by the China Academy of Space Technology has set off a wave of heated discussions abroad, and has even been reported by major foreign media. The mystery lies in a "mysterious load" hidden in that photo. That's right, this "mysterious payload" is the part of the Chang'e-6 mission that has never been made public, and now it has finally been discovered by everyone!
Chang'e-6, the probe that is about to go to the south pole of the moon to carry out topography exploration and geological background survey, the entire mission process will take more than 50 days, compared with the 23 days of Chang'e-5, which is undoubtedly more complex and long. The entire mission is divided into 11 flight phases and involves multiple separate combinations of the four components of the probe: the ascent, lander, returner and orbiter. However, these are not our focus today, the focus is on that "mystery payload".
From that photo, we can clearly see a "lunar rover" hanging on the outermost layer of the combination, which is a sight to behold! Although the mainland has never disclosed the existence of this lunar rover, foreign media have identified it through judgment. The small rover is equipped with an infrared spectrometer that will determine the composition of rocks, soils and regolith on the lunar surface by absorbing and emitting infrared radiation in a specific way by different minerals and compounds, and possibly even for water exploration. This has to be said to be a pleasant surprise!
However, it is still unknown how the rover will land on the lunar surface and how it will communicate with the lander. But it is conceivable that due to the small size of the lunar rover and the short service life of the lander, the operating time and target of the lunar rover may be limited. This also adds a bit of mystery and challenge to the Chang'e-6 mission.
In general, the Chang'e-6 mission not only needs to achieve the first sampling on the far side of the moon, but also faces a series of difficult challenges such as landing, sampling, and take-off on the far side of the moon. Although the mission is complex and full of unknowns, this is the charm of space exploration. We look forward to the successful completion of Chang'e-6 mission and unveiling more secrets on the far side of the moon for us.
So, what do you think of this "mysterious payload" in the Chang'e-6 mission? What new possibilities will it bring to our lunar exploration? Come and share your thoughts in the comment section!